In the EU, approximately 4.1 million patients acquire a Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) each year and at least 37,000 patients die as a result writes David Hockley. Therefore, when it comes to floor selection in hospitals and medical establishments, maintaining the highest hygiene standards must take precedence when it comes to specification. SEAMLESS SOLUTION Examination rooms, MRI suites, operating rooms, inpatient rooms, nurses’ stations, administrative offices, restaurants and retail stores; each space in a healthcare facility has unique floor, ceiling and wall finish requirements based on the room’s purpose, occupants and equipment. In terms of flooring, a smooth, seamless, slip-resistant finish not only minimises the risk of trips and falls - the second most common cause of injuries in work spaces - it creates easy-to-clean surfaces where germs could fester. Additionally, seamless flooring materials and wall finishes have become an increasingly common specification in helping reduce the risk of transmission of infection in hospitals and medical environments.    To achieve this standard of building and the high quality, safe and efficient healthcare within, the quality and fitness-for-purpose of the healthcare estate is vital. The Department of Health’s HBN: 00-10 details the key requirements of every floor, wall and coating systems and divides them into three main performance themes – infection control, life cycle maintenance and fire performance. Sika has a range of high performance resin floor systems, including Sika Comfortfloor®, which are suitable for the most demanding healthcare environments.  The company’s Sikagard® range of seamless hygienic coatings for walls and ceilings can be specified to mirror design life requirements, construction joints, floor to wall connections, surface design and installation details to meet and exceed HBN 00-10 guidelines. FEEL-GOOD FACTOR Patient comfort is paramount in hospitals. Their increased satisfaction aids rehabilitation, hence the need for flooring that reduces noise – a by-product of a busy, public environment. Highly-durable flooring is also key to creating comfortable, ‘feel good’ spaces. Surfaces with excellent resistance to heavy equipment and footfall will remain looking smarter for longer and help create a positive, welcoming atmosphere and improve the healthcare ‘experience’ for staff, visitors and patients. Regular maintenance will help uphold a floor’s aesthetic properties as well as most importantly, help facilitate a healthy interior finish. The more durable the wear layer, the less chemicals and labour will be required for routine maintenance and surface renovations. In addition, flooring with greater resistance to ultraviolet (UV) radiation has greater colour stability and is likely to look better for longer than systems with low UV resistance that are more susceptible to fading. Visit: https://gbr.sika.com/flooring/en/sika-flooring.html

Generation Rent is a popular term used to describe young adults, normally between the ages of 18 – 35, who live in rented accommodation because of high house prices, writes Lara Walsh. They are generally regarded as having little chance of becoming homeowners. However, how do the UK’s Generation Rent compare to others around Europe? In November 2017, Countrywide data showed that an average of 7.6% of homes listed to let had previously been listed for sale, which in turn has led to an increase in people renting in the United Kingdom. However, in Europe, Germany leads the way when it comes to the percentage of the population living in a rented dwelling, with a huge 54.3%. We’ve recently seen dynamic changes on the residential property market across Europe, with the average square metre cost of a property varying significantly. The United Kingdom still has the highest per square metre average transaction price in Europe of €4,628, despite a decrease of 9.0% due to the pound’s depreciation. This in turn has made it hard for new buyers to get onto the property ladder. Comparing the average cost of 4,628 EUR/m2 in the UK to other nations in Europe, you can get more space for the equivalent value elsewhere. This leads to higher rental costs, once the properties find their way onto the rental market. Back in the UK, we saw the average rental cost increase by 2.55% between August 2016 and 2017, with the South East being the only region to become more affordable with a percentage decrease of -0.2% in rental costs. In the previous 10 years, the increase in house prices has outpaced the rise in average salaries. This has led to first time buyers not being able to raise a deposit to purchase a property, which has led them to rent. However, research from the Yorkshire Building Society has shown that buying a home in Britain has become more affordable across 54% of the country over the past decade (07-17). Visit: https://money-pod.co.uk

It was once referred to as the forgotten pollutant and while some may think this issue is a fact of life, noise is an annoyance that can be bad for your health, whether it’s in the home, workplace or outside environment. In the world of education, noise can not only have a direct impact on teaching and learning, but for teachers, it can result in voice strain, hearing issues and stress-related illnesses. Good acoustics in schools should be a fundamental design element, so what are the challenges when it comes to creating the optimum teaching and learning environment? There is no escaping the fact that schools are busy and bustling environments, but students taught in quiet rooms which offer good acoustics learn and behave better than those in noisy rooms with poor acoustics. It can be hard to avoid in certain teaching situations, such as in group work or in music or drama lessons for instance. Noise from stairs and circulation routes can cause disturbances to classrooms and teaching spaces. There’s also the impact of external sources of noise which can affect noise levels in schools such as traffic, aircraft, plant rooms or even the weather. The move towards more open plan environments can also have a direct impact on acoustics as background noise and sound intrusion are difficult to minimise. With ever-tightening budgets, the uncertainty of class sizes and the need for private study areas, educational environments need to be flexible and adaptable, but this should not be at the expense of good acoustics. Design guidance for acoustics in new schools is provided by Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) which is incorporated within the Building Regulations. It provides complex calculation methodology for the material dividing space to ensure each classroom or educational space meets the required acoustic performance. This could be ensuring the wall between a music practice room and a library was fit for purpose. Demountable glass partitions have become an intrinsic design element in creating flexible spaces that can be quickly transformed and reconfigured based on the requirements of an educational environment. With communication such an important factor when it comes to learning, glass partitions must offer good acoustic performance in order to aid interaction between teachers and students, as well as improving study activities. Glass partitions can achieve excellent acoustics, particularly double-glazed partitions. Credible test data should be obtained from the manufacturer that the specified system meets the required acoustic performance. When you look at the increasing pressure on the school estate and the conversion of existing buildings into educational facilities, the demand for good acoustics in education has never been higher. Teaching and learning are acoustically demanding activities, but well-designed teaching spaces - which have an attention to acoustic detail - will enhance learning and contribute to the wellbeing of both students and teachers alike.  Visit http://optimasystems.com

Modern technology has revolutionised many aspects of modern life, including the efficiency and safety of construction sites around the world writes Daisy Welch. However, it took a long time to reach our current level of health and safety. Here we take a look at some of the most deadly construction sites throughout history. The Panama Canal   Perhaps one of the best known human construction projects of all time, the Panama Canal, was started by France in 1887. The canal would connect the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and make maritime trade far easier. Ferdinand de Lessaps was charged with the task of planning and constructing the canal after his success with the Suez Canal. However, De Lesseps only visited the site a few times and the dense jungle and poor working conditions led to over two hundred deaths per month. Attempts to control the outbreak of disease were unsuccessful as it wasn't yet known that mosquitoes were carriers of malaria. An estimated 22,000 workers died during this initial building period. Work was transferred to a much smaller task force to try and minimise the number of deaths. The project was then taken over by the USA in 1904. The USA inherited a depleted workforce, damaged equipment and a mammoth task. The work continued and mosquito carried diseases were minimised by the end of construction thanks to the work of Dr. Carlos Finlay and Dr. Walter Reed. Improvements included mosquito nets, improved hygiene and the elimination of stagnant water. Despite these improvements, another 5,600 workers died during the American completion of the Panama Canal.  White Sea-Baltic Canal   The White Sea-Baltic Canal, or White Sea Canal as it is often known, is a ship canal in Russia constructed in the 1930s by Gulag prisoners. The Gulag's were forced labour camps created during Lenin's time in power and reaching their peak under Stalin. Until 1961 it was known as The Stalin White Sea-Baltic Canal. The canal is 141 miles long, running through several canalised rivers and Lake Vygozero. The canal was originally planned to improve trade and construction with the ability to move materials more efficiently. However, the water level is too shallow in many places to allow large boats to pass. Therefore, the canal still only carries light traffic of between ten and forty boats per day. The Soviet Union constructed the canal as part of their infamous five-year plan. The canal was completed four months ahead of time in an attempt to show the efficiency and strength of the Soviet Union. The canal was the first construction project using the Soviet Unions forced labour from Gulags. The camps and prisons supplied 100,000 convicts and this was advertised as an example of using prisoners but also helping them 'reforge' - a Soviet concept of rehabilitation. In reality though, prisoners survived in brutal conditions. Teams were forced to live in cramped, uncomfortable surroundings and competed against each other increasing working hours and the intensity of labour. 12,000 workers died during construction with numerous more injured. 12,000 workers were freed at the end of construction as a reward for their forced labour and as further propaganda for the success of the Soviet Union. The Burma-Siam Railway   Also known as The Death Railway, The Burma -Siam Railway was constructed by the Empire of Japan to support forces in Burma during World War Two. A similar route was considered by the British government as early as 1885, but the terrain which was divided by numerous rivers, was considered too difficult to undertake. In 1942, Japan seized control of the British colony of Burma and needed to supply troupes to the area. After the Japanese defeat at the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the Japanese government decided the railway was crucial to their success and therefore the risk of difficult terrain was worth taking. Thousands of British and Australian POW were used to construct the railway, with 1,000 POW housed every five to ten miles on the route. The camps included open-sided barracks built on bamboo poles with bamboo roofs. 12,000 Japanese soldiers were employed on the railway as engineers, guards and supervisors of Prisoners of War. The Japanese soldiers at the time are now remembered for their cruelty to workers and Prisoners of War. The Karakoram Highway Also known as National Highway 35, the 1300km national highway in Pakistan extends to Hasan Abdal in Punjab, where it crosses into China. The highway is a popular tourist attraction, with one of the highest paved roads in the world. The mountainous terrain of the road led to many difficulties during construction, including multiple deadly landslides which killed hundreds of workers. Construction began in 1959 but realignment and the construction of tunnels around the highway continued until 2015. The Aswan Dam   The Aswan Dam in Egypt was constructed after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 to improve on the Low Aswan Dam constructed in 1902. The Dam would better control flooding and increase water storage for irrigation while also generating hydroelectricity. The dam was part of a wider plan of industrialisation. Attempts to build dams at Aswan go back to the 11th century but the current dam was create in 1960-1970. 25,000 Egyptian engineers and workers contributed to the construction. For the completion of the dam, 100,000 people were forced to relocate. During the work, 22 archaeological monuments were put in danger. Some were preserved or removed but the Buhen Fort, a ancient Egyptian fortress dating to 1860BC was flooded by Lake Nesser after construction of the dam. Of the 30,000 workers, 500 were killed and their deaths were caused by floods, poor living and working conditions and the spread of disease.   Visit: https://www.insulationexpress.co.uk    

The roofing industry has undergone huge changes over the past decade, writes Shay Casey, Senior Sales Manager at Sika-Trocal. Technology has inspired its growth, with specification and design innovation keeping step with dynamic project visions. BIM modelling, digital presentations and even refurbishment surveys can be carried out using a drone or virtual programmes. Technical advancement has led to a marketplace brimming with new products and systems. Greater choice has led to increased competition, with contractors offering complete roofing and cladding packages – a major change in the specification and application process. The introduction of a wide range of new membranes has seen contractors adapt specifications to ensure the most cost-effective installation; an option not available to architects or clients who no longer have the power to uphold the original specification. This can result in them having to accept products of inferior quality, which isn’t ideal. Communication revolution Today’s roofing contractors need to be more financially aware than ever before, due to the rise of extended payment terms and retentions which have proven a huge burden to buyers and suppliers. Firms throughout the construction have also had to adapt to new ways of self-marketing. The internet, and more particularly, social media has revolutionised the way we communicate. A large LinkedIn or Twitter presence can spread positive word of a contractor’s service offering in a matter of seconds. Environmental concerns have also led to a welter of roofing industry changes, with the introduction of green and cool roofs, solar panels and further developments in roof lighting. The Green Guide has led to vast improvements in recycling, manufacturing footprint and roofing performance in terms of thermal values and sustainability. The knock-on effect of the drive for a ‘cleaner’ project delivery means sales teams not only have to be fluent in their products’ properties, an understanding of their compatibility with new technologies and environmental standards is also required.  Virtual benefits Virtual reality is another hi-tech revelation. From simulated flight control and fairground rides, to historical battlefields and exotic holiday destinations, a world of artificial exploration is available for those with a taste for risk-averse exhilaration. It’s likely virtual reality will also prove useful to the roofing sector in the coming years, allowing stakeholders involved in a project to visualise how it will look when completed. This will help minimise misunderstandings between parties which can lead to frustrating, costly delays for the client. New technologies should – in theory – make for more rapid construction, with contractors able to tailor projects to a client’s specific needs. It might be that technology will replace people skills in certain areas of construction. In which case, with digital wizardry perhaps taking care of a project’s more technical aspects, it might mean the industry’s future workforce will merely require a broad range of abilities and knowledge to remain employable. Over the coming decade the roofing industry will doubtless face many challenges, and as practices and systems change, members will be required to adjust accordingly. With the support of trade associations such as SPRA and NFRC, the future should hold no fear for those involved in the roofing sector. Visit: www.sika.co.uk

Product substitution is an endemic problem across the construction industry.  A recent survey by the NBS showed that 78% of construction professionals believe product substitution is an industry issue, which leads to cheaper and/or inferior products being substituted in order to drive down build costs and maximise profits.  This means that what is designed is not what is built. Important decisions are often made with a lack of understanding of the consequences that the substitution can have on the building’s performance and lifecycle costs. Substituted products may well invalidate various contract conditions and warranties, and in some cases expose people to heavy liabilities should a failure happen. These products may also reduce the performance of the building as a whole. One such example would be in the specification of insulation products where, if a PIR insulation product were to be substituted by a product of the same thickness with poorer insulation properties, it would have a significant impact over the lifetime of the building.  This could result in the building not meeting its thermal performance, as determined by building regulations, increase the lifetime energy costs for the building occupants and reduce the carbon savings,  as well as potentially impacting on the health and wellbeing of the building occupants. Therefore digitalisation of construction products will provide some traceability of products across the supply chain and is seen by many as the best way to reduce the performance gap and increase performance certainty across the built environment. Ultimately, building owners need to know all the components used in a building’s construction and accurate product specification is now a critical part of the construction process. Specifications do allow the exchange of information between the client, the designer and the contractor but not everyone can know everything about a particular product on a build.  Therefore it is very important for manufacturers to provide the most up-to-date information in order that designers and contractors can make correct decisions quickly and minimise risks on projects. Digitalisation of this information is one way of achieving this. A digitally-connected world In an era of digital technology, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become tremendously important in the construction industry and has enabled manufacturers to share product information in more accessible forms. According to the NBS, three- quarters of manufacturers agree that BIM is the future of product information. Through the BIM Level 2 programme, building product manufacturers can provide a wealth of product information to specifiers online, in an immediate and standardised accessible digital structure. The BIM Library gives specifiers the ability to compare products on a like-for-like basis and as such, decisions can be made based on the quality of the product - such as performance, financial cost, environmental impact, durability, third-party certification and warranty - and not on the quality of the marketing spend. And where products need to be assembled to form a system, the user will be able to do this online through a user-friendly interface. This will reduce and hopefully eliminate the chances of specifying incompatible products in a system. Designers recognise the potential for BIM as it helps create new design possibilities and allows for traceability of products used on any particular construction project. Standardising product information One of the issues with supplying product information in a number of formats or templates is that it can cause confusion. There is also the question of what information needs to be shared. Led by the Construction Products Association (CPA) and developed by the UK Government’s BIM Task Group, the industry-led initiative LEXiCON has been designed to streamline data consistency and interoperability across the sector. This tool standardises product information by providing the construction industry with a plain language dictionary to share product information in a consistent way. LEXiCON utilises tools and templates that can be used across different software platforms. This will help to improve collaboration and exchange of information, rather like having a product’s DNA information attached to a product and is added to throughout its lifecycle.  It is now being considered as the basis for a new European standard. Smart CE Marking Introduced in 2013, the CE label for a construction product outlines valuable technical information. However, as it is available only in printed or PDF format, it cannot be used by software or BIM tool and is often extensive and too complex to be of any practical use for installers or end users. In a bid to create more user friendly information, the development of Smart CE Marking simplifies specification by enabling information in an xml format through a QR code or web link. It provides the link between the physical product and the Declaration of Performance (DoP). The results provide human or machine readable information which will hopefully empower designers to specify products in accordance with European standards.  Added to this, users will have certainty they are using products that match their specifications. As well as providing product information through Smart CE Marking, manufacturers can also connect directly with the users of the products in order to provide targeting information such as health and safety information, product guidance and installation videos.  Information can also flow back to manufacturers, which will allow them to trace products to their final place of use. Specifiers and manufacturers are in agreement that they want to reduce product substitution. Support from manufacturers at an early stage will help specifiers choose the right product quickly, and armed with more accurate specification through digitalisation, reduce the likelihood of substitution. Manufacturers who embrace digitalisation will be the winners, as the construction industry continues its drive towards a digital world. Companies which are slow to embrace this new way of doing things will run the risk of falling behind their rivals. Visit: http://insulationmanufacturers.org.uk

Successful construction project management requires effective communication and uninterrupted data flow at every stage of the project writes Maria Vidal. Traditionally, each department of a construction project has their own way of recording and managing data. Since there is no centralized database to work with, each one of these managers has to go through handful of manual work to get the information they need. This can be problematic in four ways: Duplicate Data Construction companies that do not keep a centralized database often suffer from duplication of data. This occurs particularly between the production and accounting department. One may be doing estimating in one system and another places the order somewhere else. There is incorrect transfer of data and lack of control. Not only does this complicate the process, it also triples the paperwork. Paperwork Trail The most difficult and most time consuming area to manage in a project is accounts payable. With the traditional method, a manager needs to compare and review a lot of paperwork to come up with an accurate and justifiable invoice. Inaccurate Job Costing Without a centralized system, arriving at an accurate job costing may be a challenge. There is a huge risk of inaccurate job costing with ineffective record keeping especially if you’re dealing with a handful of them. Endless Reports While spreadsheets are great, it is mainly for a single user only not company wide application.  Data inconsistency is quite common using these as main tool for record keeping. With technology, the risks are minimized keeping your business moving up rather than moving down. Digital Breakthrough in the Construction Industry Today, technology allowed builders to improve communication flow and data management particularly providing solutions to generic flaws including data inefficiency, broken communication, and budget deficits. Project management software is on the front lines of the industry’s digital evolution.  It impacts operation efficiency and creates accountability for the managers. Collaborative project management software with defined workflows, controls, and engagement protocols can deftly manage changes in the processes especially when interacting with third-party contractors. Construction management software can cover for major construction project process. Aside from basic project management tasks, features may include seamless billing, invoicing options, collaboration tools, custom reporting, and other business tools, which make operations significantly more efficient especially for large scale projects like commercial building. Design is another major area technology has increasingly helped the industry. Integration with design software allows builders to update and publish drawings easily. It becomes readily available for subcontractors as well as their clients. Building Information Modeling (BIM) fulfills the need for a digital 3D design. It speeds up the need for collaborative tools in design creation and presentation. Technology is transforming the way the industry operates. BIM, planning, designing, and project construction are feasible without the risk of overlooking significant factors like material and logistics, contract administration, cost control, and project scheduling. With the recent adaptations resulting in the streamlined workflow at all levels in a process and higher profits, the future of construction industry awaits embracing technology properly. Maria Vida writes forThrive Technologies Australia – company that creates tailored construction business software solutions by actively sourcing the best software available to help you stay on top of the game. Visit: www.thrivetech.com.au

With the ‘Beast from the East’ striking three times in succession, March was certainly one of the coldest anyone can recall for a long time.  This of course meant that people needed to heat their homes for longer periods than they would normally. For those on low incomes and those living in fuel poverty this can sometimes mean making difficult choices about whether to heat or eat.  The consequences of fuel poverty are well-documented and include discomfort, ill health, mental illness and debt. Fuel poverty is also linked to increased winter mortality with a rise in winter deaths associated with cold homes. Such is the problem that according to a study by the Association for the Conversation of Energy (ACE), living in a cold home kills more people than road accidents, alcohol or drug abuse. But it is not just the vulnerable, frail, and elderly who become a statistic.  A cold home can mean lower educational attainment and lead to social exclusion for young children. There are also links to rising costs within the NHS in the fight to treat conditions worsened by insufficiently heated homes, particularly heart and respiratory diseases. We all know that energy efficiency improvements should play their part in helping those in fuel poverty to keep up with rising energy costs, but with government-backed delivery of home energy efficiency improvements stalling, we inevitably end up playing political football with the issue whilst the poorest and most vulnerable in society suffer.  The government’s 2015 Fuel Poverty Strategy, which introduced a statutory target to ensure that as many fuel poor homes as practically possible achieve a minimum energy efficiency rating of Band C by 2030, will only be reached if we can upscale installation of high performance thermal insulation, to the nation’s housing stock. In short, we have to agree the process, ensure that the work has been carried out to a decent standard and is value for money. This is the real challenge we face. Firstly, is the need to provide an accurate upfront assessment of the existing building by a competent assessor, who can then interpret the findings and prescribe appropriate energy improvement measures. There will be various measures required to refurbish a building, but to ensure the right result is achieved there has to be coordination between all retrofit activities. Getting the fabric of the building well insulated should always be the starting point.   With examples of poor practice in retrofit on the increase, it is important that a comprehensive set of standards: the assessment, installation and commissioning, are all carried out correctly; and the consumer has a retrofit that works. Professional co-ordination coupled with consumer motivation, will deliver a successful retrofit and this is one of the key objectives of the Each Home Counts1 review which recommends that there be a quality mark for all energy efficiency and renewable energy measures to ensure that the consumer receives excellent levels of consumer protection, companies adhere to a strict code of conduct when operating in the energy efficiency arena and that products are installed to approved codes of practice.  Retrofitting insulation works for a whole host of reasons from saving money to reducing carbon and being good for our health.  Whether it is an internal or external insulation application, it is vitally important we bring the nation’s homes up to or beyond an acceptable standard by getting the fabric of the building as energy efficient as possible. Using the highest performing products, such as PIR insulation, will go a long way to achieve this. Only then will we be able to provide a long-term asset that can be passed onto future generations. Visit: www.insulationmanufacturers.org.uk  Each Home Counts, The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Department for Communities and Local Government published December 2016

Mastic asphalt is a waterproofing material that has really stood the test of ages. Some say it was used by Noah to waterproof the Ark and there is considerable evidence to show that it has been used since ancient times. Most architects would say they know everything there is to know about mastic asphalt and many probably regard it as a bit old fashioned when compared to many so called alternatives. But they would be wrong because mastic asphalt still remains full of surprises and one company Bell Asphalte based in Bexley, Kent, is turning a few heads, especially with specifiers with a new kind of “Terrazzo” flooring and paving. It uses mastic asphalt as its base material mixed with stone chippings to produce a magnificent affect which is marketed as Merazzo to reflect the distinctive look of traditional Italian flooring and paving, at a highly affordable price. Slip resistant, seamless and available in a wide range of colours and finishes, Merazzo offers infinite design possibilities and applications and is already being specified and installed on a wide variety of projects. It is produced in one of five distinctive colours, black, red, grey, beige or brown and is completed by a choice of stone chippings, also available in a wide range of different colours. The Merazzo floor or paving is then installed and finished to the correct specification - either highly polished, matt, smooth or simply rough. Merazzo is a decorative floor which means it can be easily used in shopping malls, schools or hospitals offering years of trouble free service. Its high strength and durability means that Merazzo is equally suitable for outdoor roads, car parks and pavements. Without doubt it is the biggest innovation for mastic asphalt in – well – thousands of years and well worth checking out. Visit: http://www.bellasphalt.com/ See video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRJP8194Lzw

What makes a great working space? Must it increase individual and group productivity or does it need to improve employee wellbeing? How do spaces strike a balance between private and open areas? All of these factors are important considerations when creating a positive, working environment. The current concern, however, is whether we can have visual privacy without compromising natural light. Natural sources of light maintain a healthy mind and disposition, making for a happy environment. Daylight has been found to be the number one wanted natural feature in the workplace. For this reason, workplaces are facing increasing demands to have open spaces which encourage light flow and prevent darkness. However, in busy offices large expanses aren’t always practical when it comes to managing acoustic and visual privacy levels. In essence the question is: how can natural light be utilised effectively when privacy is also a demand? The following solutions will offer some insight into how visual and acoustic privacy can be attained without losing light. Glass Partitions Double and single glazed partitions allow natural sources of light to pass through whilst maintaining privacy in the workplace. Not only can the glass partitions manage acoustics, they create private areas which encourage natural streams of light throughout the space. Get Creative Visual privacy can be achieved through a design which is manifested over a series of glass partitions. Whether it’s an applied film or a decorative interlayer, these designs not only look aesthetically pleasing, they control the amount of natural light in private spaces. The manifestation gives designers a chance to inject some creativity into the scheme whilst also ensuring natural light is maximised within the space. Go Technical In cases where lighting is important, Tech Panels are a great solution to control lighting levels in rooms. Tech Panels are an efficient way to manage ambient lighting where visual and acoustic privacy outweigh the need for natural light. The panels house various types of technology like air conditioning controls and room booking systems.  Switch It Some work spaces promote the flow of natural daylight but need to provide visual privacy on occasion. Switchable glass can provide visual privacy at the flick of a switch, turning the glass opaque. When you’ve finished just switch back, the glass goes clear and the flow of natural light is resumed.  Natural light improves mood, reduces stress and positively impacts circadian system functioning. Where better to employ the best use of natural light than in a hospital environment. The clever use of blinds within the glass cavity promotes the flow of light but also creates a private space when the blinds are closed.  Re-Plan Your Space Demountable walls offer more versatility as companies can manage the changing needs of the workforce. As visual and acoustic privacy needs develop and the workforce changes, workspaces can be adapted. Not only is this a cost effective solution but it’s also environmentally friendly. There are many solutions to ensuring the natural flow of light is maximised within private spaces. Find the right glass partition for the right space; get creative, reduce stress and enjoy the positive results on your happy workforce. Visit: https://optimasystems.com